Swimming Lessons Done for the Year

Hard to believe, but the kids are already done with swimming lessons for the summer. They have all progressed so much. Today P. swam the length of the pool freestyle and was able to tread water for 3 minutes. K. was able to overcome her fear of the 5 foot area (not sure that is a total good thing) and swam to her teacher, also freestyle. She has a knack for picking up sports and it appears swimming is no different as this past Tuesday was the first time she attempted freestyle, so the video you are about to see is her third try (she made me promise to let her have a practice round before I taped her). And little miss M. has noneed for floaties anymore...she has been transformed into a fish thanks to Miss Lindsey. M. loves to swim and loves her new ability to dive underwater and get dive toys! Enjoy the videos!

Patty O'Completion

OK not totally done, but pretty close. Just have to finish the stone work around the pond, then dirt and mulch around it. Also have to get the fountain pump.

Finished Patio..... What I have to landscape around it?

An Irishman named Paddy O'Work

Sat June 4 (Day 5)



It was unbearably hot here in STL yesterday. It was at least 95*. Naturally, we decided it was the perfect day to spend outside working on the patio on the South side of the house. Todd and I started at 6:30 in the morning. My neightbor Mark came over and helped for about 3 hours. What a huge help that was. After about 11:30 Todd and I were on our own. We worked until about 5:30, then called it quits. We actually got a hell of a lot done considering there was only two of us. We drank tons of water to try to stay hydrated. Erin filled our 2 gallon water jug twice and we both had a quart of Gatorade. Nvertheless, I got heat cramps in my forearms and legs. Todd got them too in his hamstrings. We took the kids to the pool which was refreshing. I kept getting cramps in the pool, so I probably looked like a spaz. Enjoy the pictures..........

Let the Patio Work Begin....

.....if it will ever stop raining. OK, so we'll just have to work in the rain then.


Sat May 14 (Day 1)





















Sun May 15 (Day 2)










6,000 lbs worth of boulders



















Sat May 28 (Day 3)

Tues May 31 (Day 4)

Had some time in the evening to wrok with Chambers and Todd. Worked from about 6-9 and set most of the patio boards.

Maui

Sunset @ hotel Sunrise at Mount Haleakala above the clouds at 10,000 ft

Whale watching

Back from the Beach

Ahh, the waves. The salty sea air. The cold beers after a day in the sun and surf. All things the Lynchmob was craving and all things we got as we made our pilgrimage to Myrtle Beach this past week. Once again, we stayed at Ocean Creek and as usual, we were not disapointed.

The condo was in the building closest to the beach...which is a huge deal when lugging three children and all of their necessities to the beach and back each day! The weather was perfect! Sunny every day and we made the most of it. P. discovered he could catch crabs and other wildlife in the wash under the pier. He and Kevin were in there every day. The rewards for their efforts? Three blue crab, some smaller hermit crabs, and a stingray. We cooked the blue crabs right in the condo, and let me tell you, there is nothing in this world like a fresh caught and cooked crab. K. and M. liked them, but not P. He just prefers to supply the food!K. and M. loved to play in the sand, so Mommy got to spend a lot of time reclining in my beach chair while I watched the girls build castles and run into the waves to rinse off. We did see a jellyfish in the low tide and I caught it in a bucket to show everyone. (I then got rid of it so no one got stung). They all thought it was pretty cool. We all spent some time jumping waves and P. and Kevin did some boogie boarding, too. We did hit the beach pool every afternoon for a reprieve from the salt and sand and it was so refreshing. Not to mention the pina coladas and margaritas could be found there, too

In the evenings we could be found wandering around Barefoot Landing window shopping or feeding the fish and turtles in the waterway. We sampled some fudge and icecream there too (much to M.'s delight). We did see the resident gator, too. The kids could not believe it was really a real alligator in a swamp and not in the zoo! We also made some time to hit the outlet mall and spent one night mini-golfing at the dinosaur course. Each night was a blast and we enjoyed hanging out with each other. We did hit our fav. dinner spots, too. Thanks Bimini's and Crabcatcher's...you did not disappoint!

On our last day at the beach, the kids were rewarded with a dolphin sighting. Two dolphins were swimming about 100 yards from shore and they got to see them coming up out of the water. K. was mesmerized! (as were her mom and dad)

We have been asked by K. and P. if we can go back to the beach every year. I am inclined to say "YES"!!!

Fishing Trip

P. has been begging Kevin to go fishing since the weather turned warm and this was the first weekend that we were blissfully unbusy. K., having turned 4 (the magic age to be able to go fishing with Daddy and P.) was FINALLY able to tag along. She did manage to catch her first fish(channel catfish) and P. caught a blue gill. After K. caught her fish she was ready to go. When she realized the boys were not ready yet, apparently there was some whining. I think the boys are going to go alone next trip...and I think K. is going to let them!

GOAL!

I have finally figured out my new computer and have begun downloading photos and videos!

K. had her last soccer game last night and I was able to get some video of it. She has loved playing this spring and desperatlely wants to play again in the fall. We think she's pretty good at it too. P.'s baseball is in full swing and he is really enjoying that as well. His last game he got two hits and two runs...more importantly he was not tagged out (he HATES to be tagged out.)

Summer has officially started, as all are done with school now. We are looking forward to our long weekend at my mom and dad's house and the NU reunion on Saturday. Crazy, but I have not seen some of these girls in two years...way too long, but glad we are going to be able to get together. After we return, it seems hard to believe but we will be heading to Disney just 5 days later! We have a countdown on the chalkboard in the kitchen and I think we are all getting excited to go. Can't believe summer is here, but SOOO happy to have this time with the kiddos. Look out pool, here we come!

So terrible about updating

Okay, so February has come and gone and I am now looking at the end of March. I realized I had, once again, been terrible about blogging, but the truth is, we have been busy playing!

So, more bullet points (sorry) and still no pictures (sorry). I do have a new computer, but I have yet to install the camera software. Anyway, I'll get on with it!

February:

• We started the month with P.'s science fair. He decided to see which would evaporate faster, hot water or cold water. He placed his money on the hot. Turns out, he is right! We were so proud of his hard work. He came up with the idea all by himself; he designed his board all by himself; and he wrote it all by himself. He was awarded a participation pin and ribbon. His dad and I were a bit disappointed to see that the projects that parents obviously helped with were awarded places. We kind of felt like it encourages kids to be dependent and robs them of their own "genuis" and creativity. Of course, we never said this to the boy, just told him over and over how proud we were of his efforts!
• K. and M. finished gymnastics with their "shows" and Uncle Johnny was there to watch too! He came into town for a few days before M.'s birthday and the kids (as well as Kevin and I) had a great time. He was a good sport too, as it was a VERY unusually busy week. We had K's Valentine's Day party; then the gymnastics shows; P's Valentine's Party; plus the usual running around. It was nice to have the help, let me tell you!
• M's birthday party was a blast! My mom and dad, brother (duh). sister and her family, and Kristen and her husband came, along with Kevin's mom and dad. We had a full house, as everyone crashed here. With the Olympics on and tons of cousins to run around with I'd say everyone had a great time. We did a mystery dinner which was a riot! Kevin's Dad said he could not remember the last time he laughed as hard.
• The party was fun for the M'ster, too! She was showered with tons of her favorite toys and had Gabba cupcakes to boot. I think she ate 4 all on her own that day!
• We hosted supper club at the end of the month and enjoyed that too. We decided to have a Happy Chinese Mardi Gras party...goofy, I know, but turned out fabulously!

March:

• We have had a fairly unbusy month compared to the last. Kevin was gone to his regional convention the first week in March and for the second year in a row was awarded the highest sales honor possible. So, looks like we will be heading to Maui for our 10 year anniversary...thanks Merck!
• P. celebrated St. Patrick's day by bringing treats to school, since he doesn't get to do so on his real b-day. The kids thought it was a fun treat and all had green lips from the food coloring. Larry the Leprechaun made several visits to the house that day and drove the kids nutty! They made a trap...which he sprung and then escaped from, but not before he left "gold" for each of them. Their sandwiches and pancakes ended up in the shape of shamrocks and all of our drinks turned green all day long! It was fun to watch them hunt and check out any little noise. (note to parents: green food coloring is not fun when changing diapers!)
• Which brings us to now. K. started soccer this weekend and she loves it! She was told she was a "tough cookie" and she was. Every time she fell, she bounced right back up. She even split her lip, but never cried and got right back in there. Maybe she inherited some athleticism from her aunt. God knows I have none! P. starts t-ball on Thursday and he is pretty excited about this too. Now begins the running, as P. has practice on Thurs. and Sat. and K. has practice on Thur. and games on Sat. We don't know when his games are yet, but I can't wait to watch him play.

So, that catches us up. This here is one tired mom of late. I have been trying valiantly to not feel as if I have to be all things to all people, but when you are the parent of three small children, you are their everything, so it gets to be a tough balancing act. As all of you moms know. I am going to make myself a cup of tea and grab a book while they are all finishing their quiet time in an effort to relax! Enjoy the updates. I will keep posting when I can!

Umm, Forgot I Had A Blog Page

Seriously, January is almost over and I have not posted since K.'s birthday in November. Suffice it to say we have been busy, busy, busy. I will attempt to catch everyone up "bullet-point" style.

November:

• Finished out the month with a trip to L-Town for Thanksgiving with my mom and dad and siblings. As usual, we ate some great food, drank some great wine, and had more fun than should be legally allowed. Got some great shopping in, as well as a gourmet dinner prepared by a long time family friend.
• Saw Santa Clause over Thanksgiving and M. was not having any of it. She screamed at the sight of him and clung to me like a spider monkey when we tried to sit her on his lap. She kept saying, "No Hanta. No Hanta". So, big brother stepped up and gave the big man a few items from M.'s list.

December:

• Kevin and I spent the beginning of the month in the Dominican Republic. Kevin had won this trip through work last March and we were finally able to go. My mom was a Godsend and spent the week with our kiddos. We had such an amazing and relaxing time. I highly recommend this destination to anyone seeking a beautiful beach, friendly people, and a relaxing time. We would love to go back!
• When we returned from the DR, we spent the next weekend in Lawrence with Kevin's family to celebrate Christmas. There was a lot of "cousin time" to be had, and we had a great time with "grown-up" visiting too.
• December 22nd was P. and K.'s class parties. They both had fun playing games, eating snacks, and having gift exchanges. I remember how much fun those days were too!
• We headed to Ohio for Christmas on the 23rd with my mom and dad's families. Christmas Eve was fun and came complete with a chocolate fountain, much to the delight of the girls! I wish I had some pictures, but as the evening wore on, Kevin and my cousin, Corbin, found themselves in prom dresses. It was priceless. Christmas morning dawned at a reasonable time and the kids got everything they asked for on their lists. Where Santa dropped the ball, Grandma and Papa were right there to pick it up.
  
• The Christmas Story gift exchange we had with my cousins had us all wetting our pants. Especially when my cousin Jordan (he is 30 years old) came out in his pink bunny pj's. P. was totally excited when my gift was the Red Rider BB Gun. He was bouncing around...until he heard that there was no way in h** he was going near it until he was at least 14 years old. That chilled him out pretty quickly!
• Christmas night was full of wonderful food; some of the most fabulous wine I have ever had; some Rock Band with the cousins; and some more wine; and great times with family. Needless to say, it was a bit rough the next morning for some if us, but we had such a great time I think we'd all do it again.
• We headed home on the 27th and spent the rest of the month relaxing together, as Kevin was able to take off until January 5th.

And that brings us to January...

Well, we have started back to school and had two snow days so far. These were ridiculous, as we never had more than 3 inches of snow; however, it was bitterly cold for a week. We have spent a lot of time by the fire this month and snuggling together. (Not going to complain about that.) Kevin underwent his first Lasik procedure on the 14th and will complete it this Friday. He is loving that he will never have to wear his contacts again.
P. is getting ready for his school's science fair. He designed his own experiment to see which evaporates faster: hot water or cold water. He and Kevin will finish the board this weekend. It has been fun to watch him figure it out!
K. and M. have started back to gymnastics. K. has moved up a level and is learning to do some tricks on the bars and a higher balance beam. M. LOVES to go to "nastics", as she calls it. She likes to do the backwards rolls and walk to the balance beam "myself". M. has really started talking up a storm and can say 4 word sentences. She is also starting to tell us when she has gone to the bathroom, and at times, tries to remove what is in there with her hands. This has caused major panic with her Dad!
We also did an impromptu home improvement project this past weekend, as well. My Grandma is giving us her dining room set, so we painted the room a gorgeous red color and hung a new chandelier. It will look great once the furniture gets moved in (we are still waiting for this to happen). Hopefully it will be here by the end of the week!
So, now you are caught up on all that has been going on (in addition, to the daily routine). February is shaping up to be chock full of tidbits: Superbowl Party; M.'s Second Birthday Bash (complete with Yo Gabba Gabba Cupcakes and a mystery dinner theme); and my Happy Chinese Mardi Gras Luau at the end of the month.

K. Turns the Big 4

K. celebrated in style, of course, and is now the big 4! She had a great week (apparently we celebrate the week we were born now.) How 'bout the cake this year? It has only taken me 11 birthdays (all three kids total) to make one that actually looks like it should! (It is supposed to be Diego by the way.) Thanks to all who called, sent cards, email, gifts, and to those who traveled to see the little princess. Much fun was had by all, especially Miss K.

Halloween Happenings

The month of October was here and gone...and with it I hope the illness that seems to have plagued our household. We were grounded for Halloween as K. began throwing up about 12 hours before we were to drive to my parent's house for a big celebration weekend. But, what are you going to do? We did get in the pumpkin carving before the puking started, so that was a plus...and she was better by the time we went to trick-or-treat and when you are 4 that's about all that matters!
K. was a ladybug this year (and yes, I made the costume...it has since fallen apart at the seams, literally, but it did the job). M. is a "recycled" giraffe and is the cutest little giraffe since K. wore it two years ago! P., once again, suckered us into two costumes. At school, he was The Scarecrow from Batman, but on Halloween night he dressed up as a football player. Not just any player mind you, but an LHS Wildcat...complete with regulation eye black and wristbands(thanks Papa!). They all looked great!
The kids had a great time trick-or-treating! K. was much faster this year and made it for four blocks before she'd decided enough was enough. P. made it about 6 blocks and instead of using his trick-or-treat bag, he donned a backpack of sorts. It was full to the brim...needless to say, a lot of that loot wound up in his classroom for kids to "purchase" on Fridays. M. was in awe of the entire concept. She had practiced saying "trick-or-treat" which came out sounding more like "tick, teet", but it worked. When the big moment came...she froze; however, she looked so darn cute in her giraffe costume she scored some candy anyway. We made it home before any fits ensued, got warm baths, had a few pieces of our favorites, and snuggled up for a good night's sleep. Enjoy the pics!

Tired of Illnesses

Watching Papa's Wildcats on the new tv in the newly finished basement. It was too cool!

M. found her "pumpin" and was all smiles at the patch!

K. found several candidates, but finally settled on this one!

Enjoying the pizza at her first fall party.

K. is all ready for her fall party at school, even down to the pumpkin barrettes in her hair!

I was reading the last post in which I said "hope we don't get the flu". Well, we did. All three kids came down with the dreaded swine flu at the end of September. Kelsey came down with it first and two days later, Patrick and Meghan got hit with it. Fortunately, it was very mild for all three. About 5 days with a fever, coughs, aches, and a few runny noses, but that was all.
We had about two weeks with no illnesses and then M. started with a runny nose and a cough. Just as she is in the middle of her cold, P. comes down with some kind of stomach virus. Again, fortunately, the vomiting part lasted about 12 hours (which unfortunately began at 10pm) so not much sleep for he or I on Tuesday night. Yesterday, K. started with the stomach thing, too. So, both home from school today and gathering their strength to be able to participate in P.'s school party tomorrow (they are on fall break next week, so we are doing them this Friday).
Too much sickness for one mom to handle!
We did manage to go and get pumpkins in between rounds of illness. M. loves her "pumpins", but I am pretty sure when we go to carve them she will want nothing to do with the goop inside. She is pretty particular about having clean hands. K. took FOREVER to pick out her pumpkin. She could not decide on shape, color, or size. She finally settled on a medium, round, bright orange pumpkin...in fact, it is probably the most perfect pumpkin I have ever seen at a patch...maybe it was worth all of her time to find it then! We had our first experience with a child not too keen on family time. P. wanted to play the Wii, not go and get pumpkins, so he begrudgingly chose one to add to the pile. Hopefully, he will be more upbeat when we carve them.
We are looking forward to our trip to Chicago next weekend for the PSU/ NU game; lots of trick-or-treating; and K.'s birthday party with my family. This will be a great end to what feels like a very long, very ill month. Here's hoping November brings health to the Lynch household!